I’ve been lucky enough to go on the London Eye several times over the last few years, but on a recent trip to London we took my four year old for the first time. It’s still quite a novelty for him to be out in the evening, so we decided that we would take a flight at night.
The London Eye can get very busy, so it’s worth trying to visit first thing in the morning or late in the day. Before you board, your ticket includes a brief 3D film in the large building next door. Because it’s so short there is never much of a queue, so it’s definitely worth seeing. It’s also worth noting that there are some free toilets in this building – once you join the queue for the Eye it could be some time before you are able to visit one again!
The flight itself takes about half an hour. The Eye rotates continuously, so you need to hurry inside a capsule from the platform as it glides slowly past. At busy times it can seem as though quite a few people are being crammed in to each capsule, but there is still plenty of space to move around and a large bench in the middle if you need a sit down.
There is no audio commentary so you need to spot the landmarks for yourself, although there are some small touch screens to help with additional information about what you can see. You can barely feel the movement as you rotate slowly, and there is plenty of time to see everything in all directions.
Our son absolutely loved the experience, and because in the enclosed space we didn’t need to worry about him wandering off or getting into mischief, we could enjoy ourselves as well. We looked out for trains, planes and fire engines and because it was a clear night we could see London stretch away into the far distance.
The London Eye is not a cheap attraction, although combined tickets are available if you are visiting any of the other attractions nearby such as the Aquarium or the London Dungeons or planning a river cruise. We visit using our Merlin Passes which we purchase using Tesco Clubcard vouchers, so if you are paying full price it might be worth saving a visit for older children that will really appreciate it.
For more information, please visit their website, and check out our other reviews of this attraction……The London Eye.
Thanks again to Jennifer for this insight into her spin on the London Eye. You can visit her blog at Jennifer’s Little World.